Conspiracy
by Pebble
Summary: Aoshi is forced into the Tournament. Can he survive to the end? Will he need to? UT 2000 GOTY based. Rating will change when the story gets further. Currently rated for language.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I do not own Unreal Tournament. Some of the people portrayed in this are not mine. I do not own any of the UT levels.

On with the show!

The tournament was presented as entertainment. People would be given armor, a weapon, and training, and they would be sent to a location with others like them to fight to the death. This was then broadcast over television as a show not unlike wrestling. Everyone believed it was just as fake. In reality, they were prisoners, convicted murderers who would rather fight for their lives than be simply executed. When they died, they were transported back to a location off of the grounds for the fight, where they were brought back to life, god-knows-how, and sent back into the tournament to continue fighting. If a person died 20 times in one round, they were not revived, and instead were left dead, and disposed of. It was an efficient way of keeping the prison's occupant level down.

And they called him crazy.


	2. Chapter 2

year: 3184

"Aoshi Tobias Senn"

"That's me, sir."

"Go down the hallway to your left, and you're in the third door on the left."

"Yes sir."

As Aoshi walked past the man, he distinctly heard him mutter to himself, "Bitch."

He ignored this; it was nothing he hadn't heard, or indeed, used, before.

Opening the door as he reached it, Aoshi glumly surveyed his new temporary quarters.

The room was small, rectangular in shape, and contained a metal frame bed, A chest of drawers, and a mirror above the head of the bed. Other than the mirror, the walls were bare.

He sighed heavily, tossing his ragged duffle bag on the floor and fell on the bed. At least it was in better condition than his previous 'home'.

Aoshi was a mass murderer, a convicted criminal. When faced with two options for his death, (guess what they were,) he had chosen to participate in this 'Unreal Tournament'.

After a month of physical workout, he had finally been taken on a private plane with at least four guards to an unknown destination, where he'd been directed to wait in his room, which would be his house until they were 'ready for him'.

He'd just finished a murdering when they caught him. It was night, early morning to be specific. 1:28 to be more specific. He was going to kill Richard March, a big-time rich man.

It would be a bomb job, no problem. He left the building after carefully placing his bombs, detonator in hand. He squatted behind a garbage dumpster a few blocks away. He'd done this before without getting caught, so he wasn't too worried, although bombing wasn't really his style. He put in the password. Deep breaths. He reached his hand out. Pushed the button.

BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOMM

Aoshi ran into the street, panic written clearly across his face. He stood in awe and watched the flames grow in the higher levels of the 40 -some story building. Then the debris came down. Aoshi screamed, turned, ran. Everyone on the street was running, people coming out of stores and buildings to see, then running with the crowds. As he ran, Aoshi smirked to himself for an instant, then his expression quickly changed back to one of fear. Nobody noticed.

"Uugh!"

He looked up, into the face of a cop. "You're under arrest for theft and murder!" The man shouted above the noise.

"What! You can't arrest me! I didn't do anything!"

"Sure, sure. You have the right to remain silent, and all that shit, bitch."

The cop whipped him around and cuffed him, despite all his struggles. Aoshi turned sharply and jerked his head up, smaking the top of his head against the man's jaw.

"Gggkkkk!"

"What does that mean, huh?" Aoshi taunted. "Wwghggh!" Someone had grabbed him from behind. Twisting his head around, he saw two other police, plus the one holding him. Plaster fell around them, and sirens were everywhere as firetrucks raced to the site.

Aoshi woke in that small room, jerking upwards with a cry and sweating. He looked around the dark room, wishing that there were windows in it. The door opened. A woman poked her head inside.

"What's with all the ruckus?" she demanded.

"I was, was ah I was ..." he stuttered. The woman shook her head and closed the door. Aoshi heard a distinct click.

"Good night." he muttered to himself.


	3. Chapter 3: Off to See the Wizard

BAM! Aoshi woke with a start, eyes snapping open as he jerked upright. BAM! Another shock of adrenaline, the bed bucking violently under the force of the steel toed boot that threatened to connect again with the metal bed frame.

"Alright, I'm up! I'm up!"

Blearily rubbing his sleep crusted eyes, Aoshi peered through the cracks between his fingers at the man standing by the bed, foot raised, dark shadows spread across his body from the harsh lighting.

"Yes?"

"I'll give you two minutes to get dressed, after which I will take you to meet your teammates, regardless of how clothed you may be. You will leave your belongings here. Two minutes begin now." All of this was spoken calmly and without any emotion, as though he'd given the speech many times. When he finished it, he turned on his heel and and exited the room, closing the door behind him.

"...the hell?"

Quickly deciding not to waste any time and risk showing up in his boxers, Aoshi unzipped his duffel and pulled out the first shirt he found. After dressing in a plain white tank top and blue jeans, he glanced quickly in the mirror, running a hand through his pale blonde hair. The door opened without warning, and Aoshi jumped, spinning like a top to stare at the man in the doorway.

"Finished making yourself pretty?" Without waiting for an answer, he strode across the room and grabbed Aoshi's wrists, twisting them painfully behind his back and handcuffing them together.

"Let's go." Placing a hand on Aoshi's shoulder, he pushed him through the door, pausing to close it behind him, but never relinquishing his grip.

The young man found himself steered down a series of corridors at an unsettlingly fast pace. Unable to keep track of the many turns and doors, Aoshi quickly became lost, and gave up trying to understand, falling into stride with the man.

After a few minutes of walking, Aoshi glanced over at the man, thinking of asking how much further they needed to go. Dark sunglasses kept him from reading the man's expression, and uncertainty bubbled in the pit of his stomach as he returned his gaze nervously to the floor ahead.

'I don't remember any teammates on TV, so they must not be putting me in a Death Match... but how long can it take to get to them?' Aoshi thought. His curiosity climbed ever higher as they strode purposefully down a long, empty hallway towards three doors at the far end. A sign hanging from the ceiling read: 'Teleporters'.

Aoshi stopped at the pull on his shoulder, and the man escorting him pulled out a small ring of keys. Plucking one from the row, he stepped up to the door one the left hand side, sliding the key into the lock and twisting it while his captive stood just behind him, shivering in anticipation. He then pulled a card key from his pocket and carefully dropped it in the slot, waiting until the light above the door turned green to pull it back out and open the door.

Turning around, he again seized Aoshi's shoulder, shoving him through the door and into a dimly lit room. The only visible light source was the green outline of a circle, which released a pulsing green glow. Aoshi stepped aside to allow the suited man behind him inside the cramped room.

"Step inside the circle," the man stated. Aoshi obeyed without thought, sweat breaking out on his forehead as he shivered. 'What the hell is this thing?' he thought, twisting his head around to watch as the man walked behind him. He could have sworn he heard him tapping on a keyboard, though he hadn't seen one upon entering. His thoughts were interrupted by the blonde man pushing him forward slightly to make room in the circle for them both.

Suddenly the inside of the circle began glowing as well, bathing the two in an unnatural light that grew continuously brighter. Unable to contain himself, Aoshi gasped as the light flared up, burning his eyes as it engulfed the men. Closing his eyes didn't help, as light grew even brighter, flaring through his eyelids. He covered his face with his hands, screaming in pain and fear as the burning in his eyes spread towards the back of his head, and then through his entire head. Aoshi twisted violently, writhing desperately as the feeling consumed his entire body, like a thousand blades piercing his flesh and stabbing him through to the bone, through his guts, through the other side of his body, and he was screaming as loud as his lungs could bear, ears ringing so loud he couldn't hear himself. He was thrashing, but something was keeping him here, in this damned circle, his eyes burned with the image of the half circle in front of him, stuck in place as he convulsed in agony.

And then it was over. His body was numb, unfeeling save for a lingering ache, a burn in his muscles, a stinging in his eyeballs and the incessant drone in his ears. As it all gradually faded, he heard a voice slowly coming through the numbness, moaning, and as he began to think rationally, it occurred to him that it could be someone being tortured, or that maybe they'd put him right into a match and he was going to die right there on the floor.Wait... on the floor?

Aoshi slowly opened his eyes, his body throbbing as the room came gradually into focus. The moaning began to die down, and Aoshi felt the coldness of the concrete floor sinking into his skin, forcing a gasp from his lips. The moaning ceased completely, suddenly. It was him. His own moans. His own body, shaking with the loss of adrenaline and the onslaught of nausea, laying on his side on the floor, gasping for air as tears streamed from his eyes treacherously.

It felt like his whole body was freezing, despite the room being reasonably warm. It was this that made him realize the his hand was warm, that there was a slight pressure on it. Forcing his head to move, Aoshi cast a glance at his hand to see what was causing the heat. His stomach jumped slightly when he saw another hand covering his own, disappearing into a dark sleeve, a black suit. The blonde man peered at him through his sunglasses, the rest of his face expressionless.

"It's quite a trip the first time, isn't it?" he inquired. "But don't worry. You get used to it pretty fast. It's easier when they only have one destination, instead of a programmable one. Besides, the teleporter will be the least of your worries once you enter the tournament." This last part was said with a cold smile, but his hand did not stray from the back of Aoshi's.

"Well, then. If you can walk, I do believe it's time to meet your new family."


	4. Chapter 4: Family

Moving his hand up to Aoshi's elbow, the man pulled him to his feet while tucking something into his pocket with his other hand. Aoshi caught a glimpse of metal. It was the handcuffs he'd been wearing; his wrists were now bare. When did those come off?' he wondered. Seizing his shoulder again, the man pushed him forward. They had been in a room with only three walls, all made of cracked and dirty concrete, and they now stepped into the hallway that made up the fourth side of the room. A thick metal grate was the ceiling, and a few feet above that Aoshi could see wooden beams with white light bulbs hanging from them, casting a harsh light across the bleak walls.  
Follow me, the man said, turning left and striding down the hallway. Aoshi followed a few paces behind, watching the buzz cut blonde head bob slightly with each step the man took. On the left were more rooms' just like the one they had come from, with teleporter circles in each one - sometimes multiple circles in one room, sometimes only one, as in the room they had come through. The man in front of Aoshi had nearly reached the end of the hall, and was approaching the door at the end. Aoshi wondered whether he could bash the guy's head into a wall and hurry back to the teleporter, but he realized immediately that it was far too late for escape attempts. He should have been more alert when he had woken up! Still, his stuff was back in the room, which meant that they might let him go back to get it later... He would have to be ready for the opportunity.  
The door swung open ahead of them, and quite suddenly, they were outside. The bright, piercing sunlight shone at Aoshi's face, and he shielded his eyes with his hands. He wondered why he was being allowed to move freely; no handcuffs, and following instead of leading. He doubted he could get away with much anyway, but it seemed odd not to take precautions. His guard had stepped to the side and was staring at Aoshi, waiting patiently for him notice before gesturing around them.  
This is where you'll be staying, so either get used to it or die quick.  
They were standing on hard-packed dirt, and several two story buildings were scattered about seemingly randomly. Towers sprouted occasionally between the buildings. The area was enclosed by a tall chain link fence, and Aoshi could see plains stretching out around the grounds.  
They can't possibly think that fence is enough to hold us,' he mused. There'll be something else keeping us here. Maybe those are guard towers.'  
His own guard had moved forward, and was striding away at his brisk pace. Aoshi trotted quickly to catch up with him, not wanting to be stranded. It occurred to him that the grounds were strangely vacant; they were the only ones outside, and they were approaching two buildings that were close together. A banner with an odd symbol hung next to the door on the right hand building, and it was towards this that they were headed. The man gripped the front door and pulled it open. It was clearly heavier than usual, likely from being steel and twice as thick as a normal door. Aoshi's guard made a sweeping gesture, inviting him inside, and so he entered, trying not to show his apprehension.

The inside was much like the inside of the building they had entered the compound through; bare walls and a grate overhead, only this time the walls were made of plaster. They had come into a large, open room with large crates piled about on the floor, and several people sitting on them. They were lit oddly by the harsh overhead lighting, and seemed far from thrilled to see the pair.  
This is Aoshi Senn, his guard said to the room at large, and we're gonna see how long he lasts without any of you hurrying him outta here. That didn't sound too promising.  
He looks pathetic, commented someone from the right. Aoshi jumped: the man was almost right next to him, sitting stooped over on a crate right up against the wall. When Aoshi turned to look at him, he stood abruptly, staring at Aoshi as though he knew he already hated him. Aoshi glared right back, not about to back down to this guy. He reached suddenly for Aoshi's face, grabbing his chin with a sneer. Aoshi batted his hand away angrily; they weren't going to make a fool of him if he could help it.  
That's enough, barked the blonde man from Aoshi's left - he had forgotten he was even there. Malcolm, sit your ass down and back off. He's your teammate for now, and you'll treat him like it.  
Malcolm stepped back, but did not sit down. The blonde man didn't seem to care.  
So this is your team, and you'll be working and living with them whenever you're about to do anything that requires them. Sometimes you'll live in the main building, where we came in. Pointing at the team members from left to right, he introduced the group to Aoshi. That's Othello, a man with mussed brown hair at the far end of the room bowed his head slightly in acknowledgement; a baby-faced woman with black hair that reached past her shoulders; a large man with skin the color of black coffee who was sprawled carelessly across the crates; a man who was sitting back with his head lowered, casting his face into shadow, and had his pale arms crossed over his chest, a dark brown haired woman with strong features; and Malcolm, he finished. Malcolm jerked his chin out aggressively. They'll show you where everything is, and you'll be depending on them in your upcoming match, and in every other aspect of your life here, if you live past this weekend.  
Aoshi blinked, staring at his new comrades. They stared back silently, all except for Malcolm, who promptly left the room.  
Glad to see you're all getting along so well, his guard commented sarcastically. Senn, there'll be a quick lecture on what you need to do in every match and how to use the weapons going on in about five minutes. You think you'll need it?  
Aoshi admitted.  
Then let's go.  
With that, he turned around and opened the door again, holding it open for Aoshi to step through.

They walked to a corner of the compound, where a tent had been erected, the sides open, and several people were lounging underneath it.  
When this is over, go straight back to your group's house, his guard ordered.  
You're leaving? Aoshi asked, not sure he wanted to be on his own just yet, especially with his teammates'. He had grown somewhat accustomed to his companion's quiet presence.  
Of course. I have better things to do than stick around here and baby you.  
Aoshi was affronted, but nodded in acknowledgement.  
he grabbed Aoshi's arm, but not roughly. Good luck.  
Aoshi stared at him, but he just turned around, starting towards the main building.  
Great,' Aoshi thought. An aggitated looking, short man was walking towards the tent, carrying several mesh bags of various sizes. He dropped them all at the front end of the tent, waving the people who had been standing there away.  
Alright, new people. I'm here to explain what you'll probably be spending the rest of your lives doing. He stopped, looking around.  
Get under the tent, all of you, but don't crowd me or I'll break your neck.  
Aoshi stepped forward, into the shade of the tent, along with a couple other people who had been lingering outside.  
Come around, make sure you can see, the short man snapped irritably, motioning for them to organize themselves. They shuffled around for a few moments, and eventually a few people sat down in front; the tent was not made to hold more than around 5 people at a time, but their group numbered closer to 10.  
We'll start with the basics, the man said. I'm Captain Rost, and you'll address me as such. Understood?  
Yes, Captain Rost, the group muttered. Rost glared at them.  
He reached into one of the bags, taking out an empty handgun.  
This is the enforcer. Every time you start a match - any match - you'll have one of these. It'll start off with 30 shots, and holds a maximum of 199. You all know how to use a handgun, so I'll move on. This, he produced a rifle, is the ASMD shock rifle. Just plug the cartridge in front here, and it'll pull the plasma from inside. When it's done with a cartridge, it'll automatically release it, and all you have to do is put a new one in. He put the rifle down and picked up an odd, yellow gun.  
This is the flack cannon, and you put the cartridges in this slot on the bottom here. Just slide it in from behind. A low chuckle arose at that, and Rost glared at them all.  
You want a demonstration? he growled in his high-pitched voice. They shook their heads quickly.  
That's what I thought. He returned to his instructions.  
The flack cannon has a hard recoil, so keep a handle on it. It holds a maximum of 50 shots. You can figure out how many clips that is for yourself.  
The lecture went on in much the same way, as Captain Rost went through all the guns at their disposal, explaining that when they ran out of ammo for everything, they could request an impact hammer via their microphones, which they could use in substitute until they either found more ammo, got a weapon with ammo already in it, or were killed.  
At that point, he reminded them, you'll be reincarnated and given an enforcer. He also told them about the armor lying around on the field, which could be attached in a second, and health vials or health boxes, with had a glowing blue substance in them that seemed to have a life of it's own.  
As soon as it touches you, it'll get to work on you, repairing any damage it finds. The bigger a container of this stuff you can find, the better; it can only spread so far, and more of it means more healing for you. The containers you'll usually find it in have an opening on the top, and they break away easily, so just step right into it when you find one. Even if you don't have any wounds, it'll mean no one else can get to it. Not a good idea if your teammates are around and they need it, though. As for the vials, same principle. They break easy, but because they're tall, they'll knock over if you hit them. If you just stand in a pool of it, it won't get through your boots, so you'll have to figure out how to get it to you. It goes straight through clothing, though.

Half an hour later, they were dismissed, and Captain Rost packed up everything he had brought and left them standing under the tent, looking blankly at each other. Aoshi remembered what the blonde man had said to him earlier, and bid his fellow newcomers goodbye. They seemed shaken out of their stupors and waved to him, heading off to different buildings. Not really wanting to go back to what his guard had called his house', Aoshi meandered around the grounds, looking at the other buildings with their banners and watching the people from the lecture go into them. It occurred to him that he probably wasn't allowed to just wander about, but he was tired of playing the meek, powerless new guy. He strode along next to the fence for some time, glancing over an area set aside for exercise. There really wasn't much to see but barren ground and bleak grey buildings made of concrete or stone.  
'I wonder...' he thought. Curious, he went to one of the housing buildings and grabbed the handle on the front door. He took a deep breath, steeling himself, and pulled. It didn't budge. He pulled again, harder, but still it wouldn't move. Must be locked,' he decided.  
It seemed that there was nothing else to do but what he was told. He walked slowly back to the two story building with the only banner he recognized. He didn't want to admit it, but he really didn't want to be in the same building as his new teammates; they scared the crap out of him, just knowing that they were ruthless killers who slaughtered people a few times a week. Granted, he had killed many people too, but somehow he doubted he'd stand a chance against any of these people if it came down to it. His confidence could have been a lot better.  
He pulled on the door. This one opened for him.  
Inside, the crates were still scattered on the floor, some of them sitting on top of each other, but no one was in the room. The only door was at the back wall, and it was open. He went through it.  
The metal grate stopped at the doorframe, he noticed, and there was a real ceiling on the other side. He was in what might have been the living room; a couple couches were in it, and a coffee table with numerous stains and several magazines left on it was in the middle of the room. the floor was wood, not concrete, and there was a doorway on the left end of the room, and a half closed door to the right. The door, he quickly found out, was a bathroom. Crossing back through the living room, he went through the doorway and into a large kitchen. Various appliances were set out on the counters, and an island was in the middle of the room, covered in crumbs and other bits of food no one had bothered to clean up. The dining room was just a table and chairs set in the back of the room, with nothing defining it from the kitchen, and the wooden table was worn. A quick peek told him the the door off of the dining room was a closet, and the stairs were located between the two rooms. Peering up the stairs revealed nothing, so it was time to face his fears and go up there. He sighed. Just do it already.' He went up the stairs quickly. A hall with several doors, all of them open, was at the top. At the opposite end of the hall he saw another bathroom, and voices came from one of the rooms.  
He wasn't sure what to do now. Should he just walk into one of them? Well, he wasn't going to accomplish anything by just standing there in the stairway, so he walked up to the first door on his right, quietly as he could. Don't be a jackass,' he thought to himself, and stepped inside.  
No one was in the room. It was far from empty, though, with a couch in one corner, a desk covered in papers in another, and pillows strewn across the floor and on the furniture. Several mismatched chairs cluttered up the space. A window set in the far wall provided a horrible view, but natural light.  
  
He whipped around, startled. One of the women from earlier was standing in the doorway, holding a can of soda and looking surprised, but not angry.  
he answered cautiously.  
Your lecture ended then, huh?  
  
Well, I'm sure you don't remember any of our names, so let me reintroduce myself. I'm Bish. Not to be confused with bitch. She stuck out her free hand, and Aoshi shook it, smiling.  
This is basically a pointless room here, in case you were wondering. We mostly just use it to put our extra crap in, and if we ever want to write or doodle or anything.  
Why did you come in, then? he asked.  
Thought I saw something in the hall, she replied casually, slurping from her drink. You want me to show you were your room'll be?  
Why are you even bothering? demanded a hard voice from behind Bish. Aoshi saw Malcolm in the hall, his arms crossed, and glaring like before.  
Cause we know for a fact that he'll be here tonight, so I don't see why not. She shouldered her way past him, calling over her shoulder, It's down here. Aoshi followed her past Malcolm, who jerked his head forward at him, trying to startle him. Aoshi sneered as he passed, not taking the bait.  
Near the end of the hall, Bish turned to him and said Ignore him. He doesn't give a damn about you personally, he's just pissed cause we got a new guy instead of a transfer from another team. He thinks you'll bring us down. She rolled her eyes. But I know you won't bring us down. Aoshi smiled his agreement.  
I won't let you. She led him into the room. If you can't keep up with us, you'll die. Don't count on anyone here risking ourselves to save your ass, cause we won't. Not Malcolm, and definitely not me. I don't give a damn about you, either. She stared at him, her eyes now cold and distant, while her mouth kept smiling. Aoshi blinked and looked at her, surprised.  
So this is your room, she said, waving a hand carelessly at it.  
There was a narrow window here, with a bed underneath it and a wooden dresser against another wall. The plaster walls looked dirty, but at least it wasn't concrete or metal.  
You want to come meet the rest of the team? Bish asked, cocking her head and looking at him inquiringly.  
I thought you just said you don't give a damn about me, Aoshi said, a little confused.  
Oh, I don't. I just wanted us to be clear on that point. If you want us to think of you as anything we should care about, you'll have to prove you're worth it. But that doesn't mean I can't still be civil. She swirled her soda around in the can idly.  
Uh, okay. Sure. I can't remember anyone else's names but Captain Rost, anyway.  
Bish laughed. Is that who they gave you guys? What a pity. He's got friends in high places or something, cause I know I could take him down with a flick of my finger. She flicked her finger in the air to demonstrate, leading the way back down the hall towards the noisy room. Malcolm seemed to have had better things to do, and had left the hallway.  
Wait, what about my stuff? Aoshi asked, referring to his duffel bag he had left not so very long ago.  
Oh, someone'll bring it soon. Don't worry about it.  
She strode into the room, with Aoshi trailing behind and stopping at the doorway, unsure whether or not he should come in. Three people were already lounging inside what seemed to be someone's bedroom. Bish allowed herself to half fall backwards onto the bed, pointing at Aoshi as she did.  
The new guy's back! She announced to everyone.  
said the bed's other occupant, the man with dark brown hair that seemed to have bed head, and who Aoshi now saw also had a few days' worth of beard growth, what was your name again?  
  
What the hell kinda name is a large, dark skinned man he recognized from downstairs laughed.  
Aoshi, not Ouchie, Aoshi corrected, regretting his lack of a decent retort.  
There's more to it though, right? That's what Brimmen said. What's your full name, kid?  
Bristling slightly at being referred to as a kid, Aoshi responded, Aoshi Tobias Senn. And who's   
The guy who brought you here. Your guard. Caleb Brimmen. The man seemed surprisingly good-natured.  
  
Aochy, was it? Owshy?  
  
Damn, man, I'm never gonna get that right. How bout I just call you   
How about not? Aoshi was getting slightly annoyed. Everyone was telling him that he wasn't going to last, and acting like it was pointless to even bother with him for more than a minute or two, but he knew he wouldn't be going down so fast. He had come to this place to survive, and damnit, that was what he was gonna do.  
Whatever you say, Newbie. This from the man on the bed. Aoshi gritted his teeth. He wasn't going to let them get to him.  
What was your name again? he asked him, forcing his voice to stay polite.  
He layed back onto the pillow.  
Get off there, ya bastard, grumbled the woman with the round face, who was sitting in a bean bag chair with a bag of chips next to her.  
Make me. He rubbed his face in the pillow to agitate her further. She leapt off the chair, grabbed his foot, swung it over Bish and pulled Othello to the floor, all in one smooth movement. He landed with a resonating thud on his rear, tossing the pillow into the air accidentally.  
The tall man laughed loudly at his injury, and Bish shoved his other foot off the bed, cackling. Aoshi couldn't help cracking a grin as Othello did his best to look pitiful while the woman glared at him. Failing at that, he grabbed her leg and attempted to yank it out from under her, but she twisted in his grip and sat promptly on his head. The others burst out laughing, not bothering to contain themselves, as she effectively pinned him to the floor using primarily her butt and the back of his head.  
What's your name again? Aoshi asked her, still grinning.  
said Othello.  
she grinned.  
I'm Orion, the tall guy added, thrusting his hand at Aoshi, and I'll tell you what. If you make it through your test, we'll actually try and use your name. Aoshi shook his hand.  
When's that? WHAT'S that?  
A one on one match against someone who's been here a while, but probably someone who's still a bit new, too. If you win that, your next match'll be a team game, and as long as we win that, you'll win it, too. I don't actually know when it'll be, but they'll probably give you a couple of days. You'll have to check the schedule at the hotel.  
The hotel?  
The main building. It's called that cause you only have to stay there occasionally, and if you get good, you can ask to stay here all the time, so you don't have to move around.  
I like staying there, because it gets me prepped for a different kind of match, Kris interjected, finally allowing Othello up as she climbed off of his head to sink into her puffy chair.  
I wouldn't think about it either way, if I was you, though, Orion told him, reaching over to grab the bag of chips.  
Why not? Doesn't matter that much?  
Oh, no, where you sleep matters. It's just that you get to sleep here the first coule times you get death matches, and almost half of the new people get wiped out on their test day. Nearly all the newbies are gone by their first real deatch match. You're probably gonna die, soon. He shrugged, adding If you lose by only a couple of points in your test match, they'll keep you around, but don't count on it. You're part of an influx of newbies, which means they'll really crack down on ya; try to get rid of as many as possible.  
This doesn't sound good', Aoshi thought.  
Just then, the final member of the team walked in, brushing past Aoshi before he'd noticed him and sitting on the bed behind Othello (who was seated on the floor now). In normal light, Aoshi could see that he was very pale skinned, with black hair and piercing blue eyes.  
They posted our next match, he informed them. It's in two days, on Sunday.  
Is that ours, or his? Bish pointed at Aoshi, who was still in the doorway. The man looked up at Aoshi.  
Ours. Capture the flag.  
That means your next match is tomorrow! Kris declared. So now you know.  
But I thought you said they usually give us a couple days? Aoshi asked Orion.  
Well, like I said, there's been a bunch of newbies lately. They wanna get it over with. You just got the bad luck of being one of the last of the bunch. Chips? He offered the bag to Aoshi.  
Aoshi glanced at the bag, but didn't respond. Instead, he looked back to the pale man on the bed. He was still staring at Aoshi as though he had never stopped. His bright blue eyes seemed to look right through Aoshi's, burning into his mind - his self. Aoshi blinked. The man smiled.


End file.
